Orthopedic corset or girdle



Nov.'14, 1950, A. SILVAIN ORTHOPEDIC CORSET OR'GIRDLE Filed April 16.1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 NOV. 14, 1950 s L 2,530,132

ORTHOPEDIC CORSET 0R GIRDLE Filed April 16, 1947 Q '2 Sheets-Sheet 2Patented Nov. 14, 1950 OFFICE ORTHOPEDIC CORSET R GIRDLE Andr Silvain,Roubaix, France Application April 16, 1947, Serial No. 741,817 In FranceNovember 13, 1945 Section 1, Public Law 690, August 8, 1946 Patentexpires November 13, 1965 1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to and has for its object to provide an improvedorthopedic corset or girdle comprising elastic tightening strapsarranged in such a manner as to ensure the lifting of the organs tocounteract the collapse or slackening of the muscles of the abdomen andat the same time producing a contraction of the circumference of thecorset.

According to the invention the corset comprises a plurality of elasticstraps extending between non-elastic parts of the front of the corset,in such a manner that parts of each of the elastic straps extendhorizontally and lie one above the other over the major part of theheight of this front of the corset while the remaining part or partsextend obliquely upwards and are attached to the said non-elastic partsat their outer ends, the lengths of the horizontal parts and thedistances between the upper attached points of the oblique partsincreasing progressively from the bottom towards the top of the corset.

With a corset of this construction each horizontal portion of theelastic straps, fitting tightly to the abdomen under the effect of thetension which is accentuated by the pull of the oblique portions of thestraps, follows the convexity of the abdomen in a verticaldirection and,consequently each elastic strap exerts an upwardly and inwardly directedpressure which ensures the raising of the abdomen, the plurality ofstraps assuring this effect throughout the height of the corset.

On the other hand, the oblique portions of the straps, due to theirbeing drawn upwardly, produce pressures which act also to raisecollapsed or sagging muscles.

Preferably the oblique portions of the straps are provided with meansfor detachably securing them to the side sections of the corset andthereby allowing of adjustment.

In cneform of embodiment eachhorizontal portion and the two obliqueportions of the straps consist of one single elastic band which forms ahorizontal portion between two securing eyelets beyond each of which thecorresponding portions is doubled back and is extended obliquelyupwards.

This arrangement enables adjustment of the length of the horizontalportion and, consequently, the intensity of its action. Moreover thestraps are thus removable andinterchang'eable.

In another embodiment each horizontal portion and the two obliqueportions of the strap are formed by two separate straps each extendingfrom a lower lateral attachment point up to the middle of the front ofthe corset which it is threaded through an eyelet common to the twostraps, beyond which it is folded back obliquely towards its upperattachment point.

In an arrangement in which the corset is constructed as a maternity belthaving a buttoned front, the buttons may be used for the attachment ofthe said straps which are preferably provided with several button holesin order to allow adjustment.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, variousembodiments thereof will now be described by way of example withreference tothe accompanying drawings where:

Figure l is a front view of one embodiment of corset according to' theinvention. I

Figure 2 is a corset of similar construction to that shown in Figure 1but modified as a maternity belt.

Figure 3 is a front view of a further construction of corset havingpermanently fixed straps, and

Figure 4 is a front view of a further embodiment of corset according tothe invention.

Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3 of these drawings the corset or girdlecomprises a main body portion and a plurality of elasticstraps extendingbetween two non-elastic front sections of the corset. Each elastic strapis threaded through elongated eyelets 2, secured to the front sectionsof the corset by tabs or the like 3, and is secured at or near its endsto the main body portion of the corset. The arrangement is such thatwhen in normal fixed position the centre portion l of each strap extendshorizontally between the frontsections of the corset and the outer orend portions la, lb extend obliquely upwards between the two frontsections of the corset so as to cross one above another at the centre ofthe front of the corset proper.

In the construction shown in Figure 4 one of the ends of each of theelastic straps is secured at 8 to one of the front sections of thecorset and each strap is threaded through an elongated eyelet 9 locatedin the centre of the front of the corset. The other end of each elasticstrap is then doubled back and extends obliquely upwards and is securedto one of the front sections of the corset as in Figure 3. It will beseen that in this construction the horizontal portions l of the elasticstraps and the two oblique portions la, lb are formed by opposite endsof two separate straps.

The elongated eyelets 9 may float independently of each other or may beprovided as shown with an axial pin 9a by means of which they are sewnto an underlying strip.

In the preferred construction the corset or girdle has three strapsarranged one above the othe throughout the height of the front of thecorset, the lengths of the horizontal portions I and the distancesbetween the upper attachment points of said straps increasingprogressively from the bottom upwards.

Preferably, as in the case of Figures 1 and 2, the upper ends of thestraps are removably attached, for example by hook and eye member 4, 5as shown in Figure 1 or by means of buttons 6 as shown in Figure 2.Alternatively the upper ends of the straps are permanently secured, forexample by stitching to the front sections of the corset as shown inFigures 3 and 4.

The construction shown in Figure 2 is designed as a maternity belt, thecorset being provided with additional sections secured to the sidesections by the buttons 6. In this case the straps are provided withseveral button holes 1 which like the eyes 8 in Figure 1, allowadjustment of the corset.

In all'embodiments an extra supporting member Ill for the abdomen may beprovided with the corset according to the invention.

I claim:

In an orthopedic corset comprising a pair of laterally spaced frontcorset sections having corresponding oppositely located eyelets attachedto the facing edges thereof forming opposite pairs; the combination of aplurality of elastic straps threaded through said eyelets and extendingbetween said front corset sections with each strap threaded through twoof the eyelets located on each side and at substantially the same heightand each of said straps including a horizontal central strap portionextending between the eyelets to interconnect said corset sections; andtwo corresponding end portions on each strap doubled back beyond thecorresponding eyelets from which said end portions issue and mutuallycrossing, with each of the end portions on said straps extendingobliquely upward toward the respectively opposite front corset section;and adjustable means for independently attaching the end portions onsaid straps to said front corset sections.

ANDRE SILVAIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS France Dec. 16, 1937

